Probation for woman who smuggled cocaine in a girdle into the U.S.

Priscilla Pena avoided a jail sentence when a federal judge sentenced her to probation in a cocaine-smuggling scheme. Steve Ruark

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The judge didn't squeeze her.

A Staten Island woman, who admitted to smuggling nearly six pounds of cocaine into the country inside a girdle, was sentenced Monday by a federal court judge to six months' probation, said prosecutors.

Priscilla Pena was busted Jan. 26 of last year at John F. Kennedy International Airport, along with her neighbor Michelle Blassingale, said court papers.

In December, Ms. Blassingale was sentenced to two years in prison and three years' post-release supervision, said a spokesman for Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, whose office prosecuted the case.

Ms. Lynch's office sought a similar sentence of between 24 and 30 months for Ms. Pena.

In a pre-sentence filing, Ms. Pena's lawyer, Charles S. Hochbaum, recommended a non-jail sentence, saying she "was not the prime mover" in the scheme.

He said Ms. Blassingale had recruited his client, who had no independent contact with the drug suppliers.

In addition, Ms. Pena had no prior criminal history, while Ms. Blassingale had previous arrests, wrote Hochbaum.